The Rev. Larry Leake named Citizen of Year

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A Few Good Men has selected Rev. Larry W. Leake as the organization's 2012 Citizen of the Year.

The award is given annually to a citizen who has made an exceptional contribution to his/her church or community.

Leake serves as the senior pastor at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Monroe.

He first learned he had been named Citizen of the Year during a worship service at his church in December and was surprised by the announcement, Leake said.

"I'm humbled," he said in reference to how he feels about being named the organization's Citizen of the Year.

Leake has been involved in many civic and community activities over the years. He is a graduate of Croft Business College in Durham and attended Shaw University Divinity School in Raleigh and Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. He is a member of the "Hickory Grove Five," a group of five people from the Hickory Grove Baptist Church Family who were called to ministry in the same area. In addition to being senior pastor at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, in the past he has served as pastor for Felton Grove Baptist Church in Apex and for First Baptist Church in Siler City. He and his wife Brenda have two children, five grandchildren and one great grandchild, according to a statement from A Few Good Men.

Other past highlights in Leake's life include being a member of the Chatham Hospital Board of Trustees in the 1980s, being president of the Ministerial Fellowship of Monroe and Union County in the 1990s, being a recipient of an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from the Apex Academy School of Religion and being president of the interdenominational Ministerial Fellowship of Monroe and Union County. He has also been a board member of the United Way, Crisis Assistance Ministry, Union County Partnership for Children, AIDS Task Force and Habitat for Humanity in addition to many other accomplishments, according to the statement.

Leake will be presented with the Citizen of the Year Award on March 16 at the LaVerne Banquet Hall at Wingate University. Tickets for the event are $25 per person or $200 for a table of eight. For more information contact Robert Heath at 704-882-5651 or send an e-mail to rlhpar@yahoo.com.